


Dying Light

by ASongforWolves



Category: Tintenwelt-Trilogie | Inkheart Trilogy - Cornelia Funke
Genre: Anger, Angst, Death, Grief, Grieving, Illness, Mourning, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Sad, Sorrow, fanfic prequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-01
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2020-07-28 23:28:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20072377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ASongforWolves/pseuds/ASongforWolves
Summary: Just a quick prequel to From Ashes to Fire, tis for my friend, totallyTargaryen.





	Dying Light

**Author's Note:**

  * For [totallyTargaryen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/totallyTargaryen/gifts).

The King was ill.

Queen Nazaria paced outside the room, waiting for the physician to finish his diagnosis. While the love they shared was that of true friendship, her husband was nonetheless precious to her.

The physician stepped out. Nazaria looked at him anxiously.

"We must talk, your Grace." Nazaria's heart sank.

"What is it?" She asked quietly, struggling to remain calm.

"I'm afraid the King's illness is fatal my Queen." The wordswere a knife in her heart.

"No." The Queen breathed. _Stars have mercy, say it isn't so. _

"I'm sorry your Majesty, but he will be gone in a matter of hours."

Nazaria said nothing else, she simply strode into the room, and knelt by her husband's side.

"Quenago." She murmured. Clouded blue eyes flicked up to her face.

"Nazaria?" His voice was a wet rasp.

"I'm here."

"You shouldn't be... not safe."

"I'll be okay." Even on his death bed he was concerned for her.

She took his hand, and stroked his hair. They stayed that way for hours. His breathing grew more and more strained.

"Nazaria." He whispered.

"Yes?" She asked worriedly.

"I want... you to be ha...happy. Be yourself. Fall in love. Show the world how beautiful your smile is."

"I love you." Nazaria said, brought to tears by his kindness.

"I love you too." Those were the last words he uttered before he began to choke. Nazaria shouted for the Physician, and when the man arrived, he gently swept her aside, kneeling beside the dying king.

The horrible rattling breaths ceased. And the physician shook his head. "He's dead, your Grace."

Nazaria went very cold.

The Queen looked at him with her icy eyes.

"Get out." She said coldly.

"Your Grace-"

"Get out!" She shouted. The physician left without another word, he knew grief when he saw it. The Queen was barely 16 years of age, it was little wonder that she reacted so angrily to the death of her beloved husband.

Nazaria clawed at her hair and screamed. _It wasn't fair! _She'd finally found happiness, finally found someone who cared about her, only to have him taken away by a fever.

A maid peered in the door. "Your Grace... I heard your scream. Are you alright."

_Of course I'm not alright! _The Queen's thoughts bellowed. Instead she lifted her chin.

"My griffin." She said coolly. "I want him. Where is he?"

"I'll bring him, your Highness." The maid left. She returned moments later with the young griffin. Jagus squawked and flapped towards Nazaria. His feathers were the downy plumage of a fledgling.

He had been another gift from Quenago.

"Come here, my darling." Nazaria coaxed.

The dog-sized griffin went to her side. She stroked the soft feathers, weeping softly as she held Quenago's cold hand.

She was still holding his hand at daybreak when the physician returned.

"My Queen?"

"A bit longer." The girl replied. "Please, I just want to be with him a little bit longer."

As he closed the door, he heard her stifle as sob.


End file.
